1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a supporter for the hand, wrist and forearm of a person for use in preventing injuries due to repetitive industrial motions while handling equipment and products of manufacture, agriculture and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Supporters for hands and wrist are known in the art. However, most are designed for limited non-industrial purposes such as for sports. For example, batting gloves for baseball, bowling gloves, and golfing gloves. Many are designed with the primary purposes of enabling a better grip on the bat, ball, or club, thereby minimizing slippage when manipulating an object or implement such as a bat, handle or trigger assembly. Gloves used in industrial settings are primarily designed to avoid blisters, protect the hands from getting wet or getting contaminated such as when handling hazardous waste.
Known related art includes a glove with partial fingers and a padded palm area as depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,701,963 to Overton, a carpal tunnel prevention padded glove as depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,799 to Fabry, a sports glove as depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 3,501,773 to Stansberry et al., a bowling padded glove as depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 3,421,160 to Domenico, a specialty partial finger glove as depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,100 to De Marco, a general support glove as depicted in U.S. Design Pat. No. D335,368 to Houston, a grip enhancer as depicted in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,459,883 and 5,826,276 to Garceau-Verbeck, and a wrist and partial palm shock absorbing glove as depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,389 to Li.
None of the devices in the above references solve the problems related to strain on the wrist and palms due to repetitive motions in an industrial setting, for example, when twisting, pulling and rolling high pressure hoses and when using triggered water and air nozzles. An object of the present invention would provide a glove which will, when operating industrial devices, prevent the weakening of the wrists and prevent tendon strains and soreness, including the development of tendonitis, in the inner palm and lower forearm. In addition, the current gloves on the market simply do not adequately protect or address the specific needs or physical issues caused by industrial repetitive motions. Even combining some of the features of the above-identified patents does not solve the problem adequately as the resultant glove would still not offer the freedom of movement, lightness, support and protection that the present invention provides.
Examples of industrial applications for the use of the present invention are line hand packing, construction, assembly line manufacturing, cable layers, commercial fishing, landscaping, gardening and agricultural work, that is, almost any industrial application involving wrist and hand movements, especially long term repetitive motions.